1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to mobile apparatus for dispensing a wide variety of materials over turf or other ground surfaces and, particularly, to the type of such apparatus which is intended to be drawn by a powered tractor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For more than a century, different types of apparatus intended to be drawn behind a horse or tractor have been devised for the purpose of planting seed and, in some cases, first cultivating the soil and, in other instances, rolling the ground after the seed has been sown.
While each of the many different types of apparatus known in the prior art may have accomplished the particular purpose for which such apparatus was devised, none of such prior art apparatus has been found suitable for performing a number of functions which it has been found desirable to have been performed by tractor-driven apparatus, particularly intended for the planting, cultivation and maintenance of a number of different types of turf or grass surfaces.
It is well recognized today that many sports and other outdoor activities are conducted on grass or turf surfaces as, for example, golf, football, soccer, lawn tennis and even horse racing. In addition, with population increases in major population centers, there has been much more emphasis on the part of municipalities in providing more grass-covered recreational areas, such as parks. All of such turf or grass surfaces, however, require a considerable effort in order to plant and maintain and in doing so, it is often found desirable to disperse over such surfaces a variety of different materials of quite different constituencies.
Initially, when an area is to be made ready for planting, it may first be desirable to spread thereover a material such as peat moss or compost. Additionally, the planter may desire to dispense over the area a certain type of fertilizer to be worked into the soil. Then, after the soil is made ready, grass or dichondra seed might be sown. Subsequently, after the grass is grown, it may become necessary from time to time to refertilize it, to spread more topsoil over the area, or, in some instances, to spread over the turf even sand or additional compost or peat moss.
While some types of prior art apparatus may be effective for cultivation of the soil, others, for planting or seed sowing, others, for rolling, and still others, for spreading some types of materials, no prior art apparatus, including that of my own prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,815,527, has been found to be capable of effectively handling the full range of materials which it may be desired to spread over an area to accomplish the precultivation of the soil, its fertilization, the sowing of seed, and subsequent maintenance of the resulting turf.